Nail clinching apparatus



July 12, 1960 G. H. TEMPLIN 2,944,259

NAIL CLINCHING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ILD IN VENTOR W H wh BY @am TTORNEYS' July 12, 1960 G. H. 'r-EMPLIN NAIL CLINCHING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 16, 1959 INVE TOR BY @Qq' i ATTORNEY;

July 12, 1960 G. H. TEMPLIN NAIL CLINCHING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y ORNEYS July 12, 1960 G. H. TEMPLIN NAIL CLINCHING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 1e, 1959 IN VE NTOR @QAM aATTORNEYS This invention relates broadly to automatic apparatus for clinching nails and thelike connecting elements which have been driven through members so that their ends project therefrom, vand vinits more specic` aspects this apparatus hasvbeen developed andperfected especially' for automatically'clinching nails which have been driven throughadjacent assembled members of structural Atrusses used in the building arts and for Vhandling asuccession of trusseslas the clinching operationis being performed; and the nature and objects of the invention will be readily recognized/and understood by those skilled inthe artsv to which it relates in the light of the following explanation and detailed description ofthe accompanying illustrating what l at present believe to be preferred embodiments or mechanical expressions of my invention from among various other forms,rarr angements, combinations and constructions, of which the invention is capable within the spirit and scope thereof.

The use of trusses of various types which are constructed of wood has been greatly stimulated during recent years because of the tremendous increasefof large housing developments wherein the types of buildings .being erected lend themselves to the use of wood trusses.

This demand for large numbers of such structural trusses has posed a problem in their fabrication and has resulted inmy invention which reduces the time required in fabrication while insuring a structurally sound truss. l have developedl an apparatus .by which `trusses in large numbers may be economically completed following partial assembly of the .various components of the truss. While the apparatus whichy I have :devised substantially reduces thestimerequired for truss fabrication italso reduces the labor'requiredin Vconstructing and finishing structural trusses. lto thereby. helpV make the fabrication of structural trusses. an economically feasible operation.`

Y The components or .members forming a structural truss of the character in which I am particularly `interested may be .joined together by means of {metal truss lock plates which A extend across vadjacent members, one [plate being on each side,`and aresecured to the components toconnectthemtogether by means of nails 1 driven1th`rough'-the g I have recognized the'fact thatthere are many types of trusses and -that the joints whichare tQ-be operated onwill not always be in the same1 relative positions,for l havedesigned my apparatus'so' that it;.will effect its clinching function on many, types andV sizes of trusses,

and in many instances no adjustment of the machine will be necessary.

While l have provided an apparatus which reduces necessary adjustmentsto a minimum, IV have, in one form'y of apparatus, provided for adjustmentwhen necessary, however, I have evolved a further form of machine in which adjustments are automatically performed by the machine itself. -A

lt has been one 'of my objects to produce an apparatusY which is sturdy and of simple construction and operation so that it will operate for long periods of timewith av minimum of maintenance care. r.I have also devised an plates-.and thecomponents.r The nails .which I! use are of greater length thanfthecombined thicknessof .the two plates. andthe truss fcomponentsatthe 'joint so that the" pointedends of the nails/project beyond the lower or second plate when the nail heads are in engagement with thesupperor rstplate. Inorder to strengthen the truss at thej'oints it '-is, desirable `to clinch` -or `bend over the projecting nail yends against the second truss loclc plate and-it has been my purpose to provide an automatic machine for clinching the `aforesaid projecting nail ends.

Ihavedevis'ed an apparatus into which an `assembled f truss v is fedfwiththe nail endsk projectingQas. described above, and whichv automatically draws the assembled truss therethrough whiley 'clinching'the nails at every joint in .the truss and ejecting the fully completed and assembled truss. --In usingV the apparatussonetruss after another ,may be fed thereinto in a rapid and sure operation.

apparatus whichis economical to produce and operate.

rThe apparatus of this'invention eliminates manual Vnail clinching and insures that eve'rynail used at a truss joint will be fully and adequately clinched to provide a strong and safe joint.l Thus, the chance of poor'or incompletel clinching of former clinching methods is completely climinated by my apparatus.

While I have particularly described my inventionas Y adapted to clinch nails which have been driven through truss lock plates connecting adjacent components vof trusses together it is to be distinctly understood that my apparatus will function equally well in securing truss lock plates to and across components of trusses, which truss lock plates are formed with struckout portions which form tangs which are adapted to be embedded in the wood components of the truss. My apparatus will operate on-such joints and will function to embed the tangs of the truss lock plates into the wood truss components. With the. foregoing general objects, features andresults in view, as well as Acertain others which will be apparent from the following explanation, theinvention consists in certain novel features in design, construction, mounting and combination of elements, as will be more fully and particularly referred to and specified hereinafter. In the accompanyingdrawings:

Fig. l is a view in end elevation of thev nail clinching apparatus, with parts thereof in section and with parts thereof broken away. f v

Fig. 2 is a view takenv on line 2- 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 'is' a vertical sectional view through the rollers of the apparatus and illustrating a truss feedingthrou'gh Fig. S'is a sectional view in end elevation, withparts i thereof being broken away, vof a modified form of nail Y clinching apparatus. v

Pig. 6 is a vdetailed view 'o f a joint of a truss having trusslock plates formedy with tangs'adapted Vto be ernbedded in the wood truss components, the-trussfbeingf fed into. the apparatus.` L In the accompanying drawings I 'haveshfown a supporting table orv platform upon Whichtliel apparatus may be mounted, such table orplatform'fmay be of generally rectangular shape and may` comprise a bed 1 mounted on legs 3 having a shelf'S extending between each pair of front and rear legs. Mounted on thevbe'd 1 of the' table are pairs of upstanding spaced front and rear roller supporting members 7 ,which may b e connectedat their top ends by reinforcing bridge members 9.` The upstanding pairs of'supporting members may be of any type or shape suitable for the`purpose; however, each should have an inner wall 11, so that pairs of opposed .Patented .luiy12, 1.960`

walls 11 on the upstanding supporting members are provided.

Operatively mounted on and extending between the two forward supporting members 7 are a pair of for- Ward clinch rollers designated generally by the numeral 1 3 and a pair-of -rear feed rollers designated generally by the numeral -15 are operatively mounted on and extend'between the two rear supporting members 7.

. .'*he pair of clinch rollers comprises an upper roller 17 'and -a lower roller 19. The clinch rollers are formed of metal, such as low carbon steel and, as one example, may be of a diameter of the order of 7". The upper clinch roller is rotatively mounted in v*journal bracketsy Z1 at cach. end, and each braclret is rneunted en a Wall ll et a .front supporting rnember 7 The journal er bearing brackets 21'for the upper clinch roller 17 are .rrrounted ou. Walls ll of the supporting members fer vcal adjustment v vith respect thereto by means ef nuts and belts 2,3 which entend .through the bearing braclrctsV and through vertically elongated slots 25 which,

are termed, ,in cach'vvall lllt. willv new be appreciated that by loosening the nuts the bearing brackets 1nay be vertically adjusted and locked in the desired adjusted positionto thereby position clinch roller i7 in any predetermined vertical position.

The'lower clinch roller 19 is mounted or rotatively journaled at each end in journals 27 which are mounted en bedv l of the supporting tableand are horizonrauy adjustable by means of nuts and belts 29 which extend through slots .31 in the bed, Thus, through the vertical adjustment let vroller 17 the vertical spacing between that roller and roller 1,9 may be varied and through the horizontal adjustment of roller .19 the axial Plane of that roller may be moved relative to that of roller -17- pair. of, feed rollers ,17 comprises arr upper feed roller ,33 and ka lower feed roller The feed rollers are formed of rubber, for example, they may comprise au operative surface of approximately thickness of neoprene rubberw42 x 5 0 durometer hardness. This rubber surface may, .of course, cover any suitable type of.

roller 341 My nail cliuehihs apparatus has .eperated successfully Where the foedrollers l were of approximately .8" iu diameterg The upper rubber toed roller .3 3 is rotgtively mounted on and extends between the walls V 11 of Athe rear supporting member-s 7., the roller being mounted for vertical .adjustment in generally the .sante rrranner as y.clinch roller 17. A pair of journal brackets v37, Nrotatively support roller die, the brackets. 37 beine .tired vto walls 11 by means et nuts and helts lwhich entend through yertic .slots al in walls 1t.-

he leuter rubber feed roller 3,5 is .rotatively mounted beneath and spaced from roller 33, the lower roller helps jcurnalcd brackets t3 tired to bed l of the supporting table: The low-ler feedreller .35 is .a lined roller and is preferably neither vertically or horizontally adr instable .and the axes of the two feed i'ollersare preferably in vertical alignment.' Y

I provide two motors 45 and 47, one being mounted Ion `one shelf 5 and the other being mounted on the other shelf of the Isupporting table. The motors `drive ,the pairs of rollers at the saine speed and may be electrically powered. 'Ihe motor 4 5 lis provided with a drive shaft 49 which may extend therefrom (through suitable gearing) be-k vond, the table and hase sprocket wheel 5l.v ou the end thereof. The upper rubber ytoed roller 3,3 has a .shaft 5 3 extending from the ,end thereof and beyond the supf porting members 7 and above drive 49 @a sprocket wheel 55 is .uned anche .end of the. shaft 53r- The upper f eel roller 3 3 is'operatively connected to motor 4S and is driven thereby by Ineens .of .chain 57 entending between and operatively connected te sprockets .g1 and 5,5, lf desired an idler sprocket 59 rotatively mounted .on a pivot `arm 6,1, biased by .spring 63 and in nected to `feed roller 33 and is driven thereby when the feed roller is rotated upon operation of motor 45. The upper metal clinch roller 17 is provided with a stub shaft 65 extending from the same end thereof that shaft 53 extends from roller 33, however, the length of shaft 65 is reduced relativo te the length of. shaft 5.3 A sprocket wheel 67 is'xed on the end of shaft 65 and a sprocket chain 6.9 entends over .and is operatively connected to sprocket wheel 67 and extends therefrom" to and around a further sprocket wheel which is Afixed on shaft 53 of feed roller 33, the last rrieiitioubc -Sprocket wheel being fixed on shaft 53 inwardly thereof with respect to sprocket wheel 55. Thus when the motor 45 is operating roller 33 will be caused to rotate and will, in turn, cause the rotation of upper clinch roller 1 7. Thus, the two upper rollers of the pair of rollers are driven by the motor 45 and rotate in a clockwise direction.

Now, as will be explained, the two lower rollers 19 and 35 are driven by nthe motor 47 which has a drive shaft 71 extending outwardlythrough anyfsuitable gea-nv i ing) of the legs 3 of the supporting table at the opposite side thereof Nfroth which dri-ve shaft 49 extends. A sprocket wheel 7g3 is xcd on the end of drivey shaft 71. The lower metal clinch roller- 19 has ya shaft 75 extending from an end thereof to which an inner sprocket wheel 77 and an outer sprocket wheel-79 are ii/lied, A drive chain 81 operatively extends between and around sprockets '73 and'79. A bracket 83 may be xedto the supporting table from which extends a spring loaded idler sprocket 85 in engagement with chain A81 vto take up slack therein. The rubber feed roller 35 has a subs-shaft extending from the same endithereof that shaft 75 extends from roller 19, and a sprocket wheel 87 is fixed thereon, the sprockets 87 and '77 being operatively connected by a drive chain 89 so that when motor 47 is operating roller 19 will be driven thereby and roller 35 will, through chain 89 be driven b y roller 19, rollers 19 and 55 being driven at the same rate of speed and a counter clockwise direction.

Referring particularly tto Figs. l and 3 of the dra-wings where I have illustrated my apparatus in operation it will be seenrhat 1 may pro-vde any suitable conveyor apparatus designated generally by the numeral 91 kfor conveying `truss tothe ching apparatus.- A11 assembled designated its entirety 'by numeral 93 is placed the conveyor 91 for fceding'into the apparatus, .it being understood that the trussv consists ofia plurallty of cofrhpo uve of which; 195 and 97 are illustrated las being jo ed together 'bY Upper and lower metal truss loclr plates 9 9 which extend across adjacent parts of the Vtruss cernponen,ts land are fastened thereto by nails. 101,. It willV be further understood `that each truss will .have a number of joints joining together adjacent components ond will include the truss lock plates and that prior te insertion into the clinching apparatus of this invention l cach joint will be nailed and the projecting nail ends 103 will be in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and. 3. The `assembled and nailed truss will be Placed on the conveyor 91 with the projecting nail ends projecting upwardly a.. Yd will be fed into the apparatus inumanner to be dos ribed.-

As illustratedjt is usual ior .an assembled truss to have Yan end part which entends beyond any joint in the truss and this .end part 105 enters the apparatus first and is grasped by and between `the rubber .feed rollers ,1.5 vvhich- .draw .the assembled truss through the apparatus the lower metal clinch roller 19. is set forwardly relativo to the upper metal .clinch roller .17 so that it function :as .a hack. up element Yfor the nail. heads and Will prevent the troni bein forced out et the truss by the action ofthe upper clinch roller This actierr is `clearly shown vin Fig. 3 of the drawings. As the truss is drawn through the'apparatus the projecting nailv `'at each be clinched or bentoveras shown in. Fig.. 3 and strong'v It will. be appreciated that each roller in .the .apparatus isof-,suicientwidth so that laterally positioned joints will be `clinched on one pass through the apparatus.

In the event that trusses were beingclinched in which a jointwas positioned at an end thereof I propose totemporarily add an extension 105 to the truss so that it may extend'between the feed rolls before thejoint reaches the clinch rollsin order to automatically feed the; truss through the apparatus. l.

It will be understood ythat the upper feed roller andthe upper clinch roller are vertically adjusted to take care of trusses, the components of which may be of varying thickness and the lower metal-clinch roller'is mounted forhorizontal adjustment in order to set or 'position it as desired with respect'to the Vupper vclinch roller. ,Itl will also be recogniaedjthat the drive arrangement I have evolved simplifies and makes possible the adjustment of the various rollers involved in the apparatus. y

With. the motors'driving` the rollers oneY truss after another is placed on'conveyor 93 -and fed thereby into thev apparatus which clinches the nails at every joint and ejects the -fully completed and assembled truss on a fur-- ther conveyor 107 adjacent the outlet end of the apparatus.

tus and have used the same reference numerals as hereinbefore used 'to describe similar parts. This form of my invention provides means whereby the upper rollers 33 `and '17 are spring loaded rather than being vertically adjustable -to lixed or anchored position as in the'form of the invention shown' in Fig. l. In' this form of my invention Vthe journal brackets 21'and37 for the upper rollers have bolts `and nuts 23 and 39, krespectvely,`which extend through slots 25 and 41 in walls 11. However, the bolts and nuts on the opposite ends from the` journal brackets' eXtend through base elements 108,' Veach of which has an yarm 109 fixed to and projecting therefrom, the base elements 108 being slidable with respect to walls 11. A tension spring 111 is fixed to each arm and extends therefrom to a xed point 113 on supporting members 7. Thus, the upper rollers are biased downwardly toward the lower rollers `with sufficient force to cause rollers 33 and 3S to feed the trusses through the apparatus and to cause clinch rollers 17 and 19 to clinch the nails at each joint of the truss. This mounting arrangement provides an inherent automatic adjustable characteristic and permits trusses andA joints of different thicknesses to be operated on without requiring manual adjustment. This floating or spring biased mounting of the rollers also automatically takes care of minor variations in thickness which may occur in any truss, and assures full and complete clinching of the nails.

Fig. of the drawings illustrates a further form of my invention, and again I have used the same reference numerals to designate parts which are the'same as hereinbefore described. In this form'of my linvent-ion I have added means forwardly of the clinch rollers 17 and 19 for preliminary operation on the nailed truss which is being fed through the apparatus. I have added a clinch roller 115 which is substantially similar to rollers 13 ofthe preferred embodiment of the invention. The roller 115 is mounted on front or forward wall 117 of the forward supporting member 7 forwardly of and in the same horizontal plane as clinch roller 17. The roller 115 is In v4 I have illustrated a modified form of appara-` which is formed with struck-out tangs 103 which are. 'y

avayftsetts spetta 12s with heather "spuckt-.t 014 1 shaft' 65: so 'that roller 115 is driven by roller 17.

,A stationaryshoe or plate ofmetal 127 is Xed on bed 1 of the tablebeneathclinch roller '115 for partial clinch- A ingjcooperation therewith when a truss isA passed therestationary kclinch plate`127 be greater than that ,between rollers 17 and 19, as the roller 115 and plate 127 yprefera-V bly perform only a partial clinching operation.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings I have illustrated another type of trussl lock plate which may be fastened to adjacent components of a truss to connect them together.

In this figure of the drawings I have used the numerals 95 and 97 to designate adjacent components of a truss whichY are to be connected together. The connecting means comprises a pair of truss lock plates 99y each of adapted to be embedded in thetruss components. Fig. 6Y shows the truss as` itis being fed into the` apparatus,

with the .truss` lock plates mounted in position. The roll-l ers 17 and 19 of the apparatuswillforce-the tangs 163` into-,the woodcomponents so that the plates will vbe securely fastened thereto. It will be understood that the truss lock plates 99 may be partially fastened to the components of the truss before it is fed into the apparatus for the nal fastening operation. It is also to be understood that any nails which may be associated with the plates 99, will also be lclinched in the manner set forth above. l

It. will now be apparentthat I have evolved a simple, eflicient and economical apparatus` for automatically I clinching nails in lassembled trusses and forY fastening truss lock plates to truss components.

=I claim: e n Y Y l l. .A nail clinching apparatus. forclinching the projectingpointed ends of nails extending through and securing connectingelements to `and across adjacent components ofstructural trusses to provide an assembled truss, said apparatus including an inlet end and an outlet end and means for drawing assembled trusses successively into the apparatus through said inlet end and ejecting them from said outlet end following the clinching operation, and rotative means engageable with the projecting pointed ends of said nails for causing the clinching thereof, back up means spaced vertically from said rotative means, and engageable with the heads of the nails as a truss is drawn through the apparatus and between said rotative means and said back up means, said back up means being positioned `closer to said inlet end than is said rotative means, and means for causing rotation of said rotative means.

y2. A nail clinching apparatus for clinching the projecting pointed ends of nails extending through and securing connecting elements to 4and across adjacent components of structural trusses to providev an assembled truss, said apparatus having an inlet end and an outlet end, a pair of vertically spaced feed rollers rotatively tically spaced clinch rollers rotatively mounted in said mounted for vertical adjustment by means of nuts and bolts 119 which extend through vertical slots 121 in Walls 117. The shaft of roller 11S extends outwardly as at A123 and a sprocket wheel 125 is xed thereon. The shaft 65 of roller 17 has a furtherk sprocket wheel fixed thereon inwardly of sprocket wheel 67 and in horizontal alignment with sprocket wheel 125. A drive chain 127 operaapparatus spaced forwardly rof said feed rollers and adjacent said inlet end and provided with metallic surfaces adapted to engage and clinch the nails in a truss as it is drawn ythrough the apparatus, and means for causing rotation of one of said feed rollers, and said one feed roller being operatively connected to one of said clinch rollers for causing rotation thereof, and the other of said clinch rollers being operatively connected to the other of said feed rollers for causing rotation thereof, and means for driving said one of said feed rollers andv said other clinch roller;

3. A nail clinching apparatus in accordance with claim atestado 7 2, wherein said one of said feed rollers is adjustable vertically relative to said other feed roller and said one. oi. said. clinch rollers is vertically adjustablev and said other roller is. `liorirontally adiustablea and said other clinoh roller. is. adjusted to a. positiou forwardly ot and.

closer to said inlet end than is. said. vertically adjustable.'

Clinch rollen 4. A nail olinelnlnpI apparatus for olinching the. proiecting pointed ends of. nails extending through and ing connecting elernepts. to and aeross adjacent oompanents `of structural trusses to provide an assembled truss said apparatus having an inlet end and an outletI endJ a pair otvertic ly spaced feed rollers rotatively mounted adjacent. said outlet end and. adapted to engage. a extended therebetween and draw it through the appara,- tus, a pair of vertieally spaced clinch rollers rotatively mounted in said apparatusspaced forwardly of said feed rollers and. adaptedl to. engage and. olinch the nails. in. a. truss as it is drawn through the. apparatus@ means ing rotation oi said. rollers; and. af further olipeh. roller forwardly spaced relative to the upper of said vertically spaced clinch rollers and. operatively eonneeted thereto for rotation thereby,v and a. eheh plate space dlrom and below said further .clinsh roller 5 A nail cliuching apparatus for. elinching. the proieeting pointed ends oi nails'extending through and. seeuring connecting elernents to and aeross adiaeent. `eornpt. r1..e..r.rts of struetufral trusses to provide assembled truss, said apparatus ineludiug inlet. end. arid an outlet epd. arid Ineens for draun'ug assembled trusses suceessively into the apparatus through said inlet end and ejetipg' the@ from. said outlet end. following the elinehing operation, and. rotative means engageahle with the proieeting point.-

ed ends of said. nails tor causing the olinching thereof.

back up means comprising a roller spaced verteally from said rotative means, and engageabl with the heads of. the nails as a truss is drawn through the apparatus and through and between. the rotative means. andthe hack up means; the airis of. said roller heine, positioned closer to said inlet end than is the of said rotative trusses to .provide an assernhled truss. by pressing portions of. the elements into said componente, said apparatus hav-- ing an. inlet end. and. an. outlet end, a pair'o. vertically spaoed teedrollers rotatively mounted adiacent. said outlet epd and provided. with .frictional surlaces to engage a truss extended. therebetween and. draw it. through the'apf parafnisl a. pair et' vertieally spaced. pressure rollers rota.- tir'ely mounted in `said apparatus spaced forwardly of said. feed rollers and adjacent said inlet epfl `@nel provided with Ipetallie surfaces. adapted to engage. and. press the portiers of' .theelernents into the. corupori .-.ts of. the truss asit. is drawn. through the apparatus, and one. of said. leed.

rollers heioeadiustahle vertically relativeto said other feedrollerapd one or said pressure rollers being vertically adjustable and. said otherpressure roller being horiz tally -adhrstahlel arid said. vertically adiustahle rollers be,- lng operatively. oouueeted together., heine a drive roller and the other heine a driven. roller, and. power rrreans connected to the drive roller f or causing rotation thereof., and said other feed. roller and said horizontally adiustahle pressure .roller being operatively conneeted togatherI one heine a. drive roller and the other heini; driven roller,v and. tur-ther power means oonneeted to said. last named drive roller for causing rotation thereof.

eiser. einer russ to.. tsss 

